Channel Surfing; NBC Cans "My Own Worst Enemy," "Lipstick Jungle," Sci Fi Asks for More "Sanctuary," Novak to Leave "The Office," and More

Welcome to your Thursday morning television briefing. I hope everyone watched the season premiere of Bravo's Top Chef, which nearly made up for yet another week without a new Pushing Daisies... though from what I gather, there's going to be quite a lot of those come soon. Sigh.

NBC has canceled freshman drama My Own Worst Enemy, which starred Christian Slater in the dual role of Edward/Henry. Series will wrap production after shooting its current episode, the ninth of the initial 13-episode order. No word yet on what NBC will substitute in the Monday 10 pm timeslot. (Variety)

As for the fate of sophomore drama Lipstick Jungle, NBC has also given the drama the sack as well. Ouch. (Hollywood Reporter)

Should Pushing Daisies be canceled tomorrow, creator Bryan Fuller says that the series' storylines will be wrapped up in comic book form. "The idea would be to finish out the season's story arcs in comic books," said Fuller, "to satisfy the fans and ourselves, to finish up the stories we'd love to tell." Sigh. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that ABC comes to their senses but it's not looking good, people. (TV Week's Blink)

Sci Fi has renewed drama Sanctuary for a second season, ordering thirteen episodes to launch sometime in 2009. Production on Season Two is expected to begin early next year in Vancouver. (TV Guide)

In other renewal news, the CW has ordered five additional episodes of freshman dramedy Privileged, bringing its season total to 18 episodes. While slightly short of a full 22-episode order for the series, it does show a vote of confidence on the part of the netlet, which has now given its sole new drama series full season orders. In order to promote sampling of Privileged, the CW will air two new episodes on December 1st and Devember 8th behind new episodes of lead-in Gossip Girl. (One Tree Hill, which was scheduled to air repeats, will be pre-empted those weeks.) Those episodes will be repeated in the series' regular timeslot on Tuesday evenings. (Variety)

20th Century Fox Television has informed the cast of FOX's Prison Break that they may extend the current filming schedule to include two additional episodes. While Prison Break's writers have yet to pitch their take on these episodes, speculation is that they may function as a series finale or as a "special" two-hour feature next season a la 24: Redemption. FOX, meanwhile, has not yet committed to airing these extra two episodes though the network is currently engaged in talks with the studio on this matter. (Hollywood Reporter)

B.J. Novak will take a leave of absence from NBC's The Office, where he serves as writer/producer and a performer in order to film a role in Quentin Tarantino's upcoming feature Inglorious Bastards. Conflicting reports either have Novak disappearing from Dunder-Mifflin for "several episodes" or permanently. Given that Novak's Ryan is currently filling in for receptionist Pam, who WILL return to Dunder Mifflin's Scranton branch eventually, it seems as though the writers have already engineered an easy exit for Ryan. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

FOX has canceled latenight sketch comedy series MADtv after fourteen seasons; the series will end its run at the end of the current 2008-09 season. Producers say that they are weighing their options and that the series could turn up at another network. (Variety)

FX has announced return dates for Damages and Nip/Tuck. (Televisionary)

Matthew Lillard will guest star in an upcoming episode of CBS' Gary Unmarried, where he will play Gary's irritating ex-brother-in-law Taylor "who has a knack for rubbing his well-to-do status in people's faces." (TV Guide)

Sasha Alexander (NCIS) has been cast in CBS' multi-camera comedy pilot The Karenskys, where she will play Emily, a woman who returns to her hometown when her husband is forced to relocate due to his job and reconnects with her eccentric family while her husband is uncomfortable with their quirks. Also cast: Tinsley Grimes (That '80s Show). Project comes from writer/executive producer Linwood Boomer (Malcolm in the Middle), BermanBraun, and Universal Media Studios. (Hollywood Reporter)

Showtime is developing an untitled drama project based on Perry Moore's novel "Hero," that will follow the life of a gay superhero. Project comes from writer Moore and executive producer Stan Lee, the co-creator of such Marvel properties as X-Men, Fantastic Four, and the Avengers, and Gill Champion. (Variety)

Also at Showtime, the pay cabler is developing half-hour comedy Kevin and the Chart of Destiny, about a "a brilliant but lonely market researcher who designs an elaborate 'dating system'--as laid out in a complex wall chart--in order to achieve his goal of finding a wife within one year." Project comes from writer/executive producer Tim Long (The Simpsons). (Hollywood Reporter)

Comedy Central has greenlit two pilots: animated comedy Ugly Americans, about a social worker who helps new US citizens--both human and non-human--adapt to life in NYC; and live-action comedy Evan and Gareth Are Trying to Get Laid, about two men earning first-hand experience in the perils of dating so they can offer advice at the relationship website where they work. (Variety)

Abby Elliott (King of the Hill) and Michaela Watkins (Old Christine) have joined the cast of Saturday Night Live, following the departure of Amy Poehler. The sketch comedy series may also add additional cast members later this season. (Variety)

Stay tuned.